


the strong will take you

by KayCeeCruz



Series: 25 Moments [2]
Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-03
Updated: 2011-06-03
Packaged: 2017-10-20 01:51:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/207513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayCeeCruz/pseuds/KayCeeCruz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Chris thinks that Noah is actually a mind reader.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	the strong will take you

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the _All The Things We Never Were_ universe. Moments in Chris and Reid's relationship. No linear timeline. Title taken from the song "D is for Dangerous" by Allison Iraheta. Thanks to Shannon for the beta.

Chris thinks that Noah is actually a mind reader.

There's really no other explanation as to how he knew.

– –

“I think Reid might be jealous.”

Chris looks up at Noah and blinks.

“Of you and Luke? But you guys have been friends a long time and now they're not together so--”

Noah gives him a very patient smile. “No, Chris. Us. You and me. Our friendship.”

It takes Chris a moment to process that and then he starts laughing so hard he can't breathe.

Noah shakes his head and sighs. “Never mind.”

– –

It never occurred to Chris that it could be true. For starters, Reid had been with Luke so it seemed just plain ridiculous to him because even when _they_ had _been_ something it had never been important in the grand scheme. At least not to Reid and that had been fine. Chris had dealt with that and moved on.

So.

Chris can't claim to know Reid, really. Not anymore. But he's never seemed the jealous type. He's too secure in himself, too arrogant and all-knowing to let those kinds of feelings emerge. Reid had always liked control. Chris had always enjoyed shaking it some, he admits that. The point is that it makes Noah's claims crazy.

Reid just wouldn't let himself get that way over anyone.

Especially not an ex-whatever the hell they'd been.

– –

He picks Noah up at the farm to take in a movie since Katie’s busy keeping her brother out of jail – again – and Jake is with his aunt. He knocks once and the door’s thrown open wide, Reid filling up the doorway with a smirk. Chris grits his teeth, pushes away the heat that rises under his skin.

“Hey. Is Noah ready?”

There's a pause from Reid, a sudden shift in his stance and Chris meets his gaze, blinking at the look he receives. Something more than the mocking he’s used to is there, but it’s gone as quick as it came.

“I have no idea. I'm not his keeper.”

Then Reid is gone before he can respond and Noah is standing in his place, trying to keep from laughing.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“ _What?_ ”

Noah shakes his head and keeps on walking.

– –

It doesn't make sense to him.

Because if Reid had wanted him, he would have said so. He wouldn't have walked away.

Granted, Chris hadn't given him much incentive, but they were young, and for two overly intelligent men they'd handled their relationship really stupidly.

But that was then.

Now.

Chris thinks it would be different if there wasn't Katie to consider, their careers, a town that'll judge them.

Reid knows these things.

So, it makes no sense.

– –

When it happens they're in the hospital at the tail end of what amounted to a forty-eight-hour shift. Alison comes into the lounge, crying over something having to do with Emily and Chris hugs her, tells her everything will work out.

Reid walks in, and by the look on his face, you could have sworn he'd just caught Chris and Alison having sex in the lunchroom.

He pauses, giving them both hard looks before turning on his heel and walking out.

Chris doesn't think anything of it for the rest of the night. He lost a patient and all he wants to do is go home and sleep for hours. Forget the strangeness of his life but of course it's never that easy.

Walking into the locker room, he runs straight into Reid, shifting his eyes away when he realizes Reid’s shirtless. Chris remembers too clearly what that pale expanse of skin tastes like. Shaking his head, he moves toward his own locker but Reid's voice stops him.

“Does Katie know?”

Chris turns to look at him. “Know what?”

“That you’re fucking Alison.”

He’s taken aback, and that's why he doesn't say anything for a long moment.

“What the – Jesus, Reid. Really?” He looks at him, swallows around all the things he wants to say and shakes his head. “I'm – oh, fuck this. I don't owe you an explanation.” He turns his back, wrenching his locker door open and trying to get the hell out of there before –

“I think you do.”

Chris takes a deep breath, pulls at his scrubs and freezes. He can't change there, not right then, and he reaches for his shirt. He'll just change in his car.

“You have a history of this, don't you? It's a pattern. I bet you –“

Chris spins around so fast he almost loses his balance. “Do _not_ even go there. _I_ never cheated on _you_. You're the one who wanted other people, not me You're the one who – why the hell am I even doing this? It's ancient history. You didn't want me then. I sure as hell don't belong to you –“

Reid’s inside his space in the blink of an eye, mouth bruising on Chris', crowding him back against the cold metal of the lockers. He shudders at the contrast of Reid's hot mouth on his, warm skin pressed against Chris and his resistance turns on its head, his hands reaching to wrap around Reid's neck.

He moans when Reid shoves a leg between Chris’, pushing gently against his hard cock before pulling away, eyes dark and angry. “What was it you were saying?” He rolls his hips and Chris stutters up against the pressure. He’s shaking and can’t stop.

Which is what makes him shove Reid away and slide over until they have enough distance between them.

Reid’s breathing, harsh and quick as he meets Chris' glare. “Don't kid yourself, Christopher. You always belonged to me.”

Chris stays frozen in place long after the sound of Reid's steps recede and the door closes with a quiet thump.

– –

It takes him a week to realize that Noah – _goddamn it, Noah_ – was right.

Reid feels – something for Chris. What that is he isn't sure but – it's something.

He hasn't let himself hope for years and maybe he shouldn't but –

It's _something._

– –

Chris breaks it off with Katie a week later.

**Author's Note:**

> Feed back loved and appreicated, always. Leave here or at [LJ](http://freakykat.livejournal.com/332606.html?mode=reply).


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